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Hepatitis A
Hepatitis
B
Hepatitis C
Screening and diagnosis
See your doctor if you have symptoms of hepatitis A or think
you may have been exposed to the virus. Tests can accurately
diagnose whether you've been infected. Blood tests can detect
the presence of hepatitis by measuring:
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Bilirubin.
Normally your liver metabolizes this residue of worn-out red
blood cells, and you excrete it in your urine. But hepatitis
interferes with your liver's ability to metabolize bilirubin,
leading to higher levels in your blood.
Enzyme levels.
Your doctor may also look for elevated blood levels of enzymes
known as aminotransferases, which are released when your liver
is damaged.
Pinpointing hepatitis
Although both of the above tests can suggest the presence of
hepatitis, you'll need a blood test called a radioimmunoassay
to pinpoint the exact type of hepatitis you have. This test
identifies antibodies your immune system has formed in
response to the presence of antigens — proteins that are
unique to a particular virus. Antibodies may not appear for
weeks or even months after you develop hepatitis, so having
the test too soon may give a false-negative result.
In addition, you continue to have antibodies even after you
recover. For that reason, the presence of some antibodies
doesn't necessarily indicate an active infection.
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